Global social media agency We Are Social has further increased its worldwide footprint by launching in China, today announcing a new office in Shanghai.

The agency has appointed Pete Lin, formerly general manager and chief marketing strategist  at Gravity Group Asia, to lead its Shanghai operations as managing director. Lin has 17 years’ experience in digital marketing, initially in the US where he helped build the digital practice at Grey in San Francisco, amongst others. In China, he has worked as business director at Grey Shanghai, client services director at Publicis, and head of digital at JWT.

Award-winning creative director Ying Chang has also joined the team to lead its creative offering. Chang is a veteran of the China advertising industry, having worked at agencies such as Leo Burnett, DDB and most recently, AKQA where she was associate creative director. Chang has received numerous accolades for her work, including a Lion for Best Use of Mobile at Cannes for McDonalds’ “I See Fries” in 2014.

We Are Social opens in Shanghai with a number of initial clients, including global beauty brand L’Oreal as well as international conglomerate Liebherr and GMAC (owner of the GMAT exam), which has appointed the agency to accelerate its China digital marketing.

Shanghai is We Are Social’s second new office launch in 2015, following the announcement of its San Francisco base earlier this year. The agency now has a team of over 550 in ten offices across five continents.

The new Shanghai office launches with a team of fifteen, and the agency is actively recruiting for five more open roles following high demand from clients.We Are Social’s Shanghai office is launching with back-office support from BlueFocus Communication Group, China’s largest marketing services company. The agency will also be able to tap into the BlueFocus group’s resources and experience as required.

Pete Lin, managing director, Shanghai, We Are Social, said: “The social landscape in China is maturing, platforms are becoming more sophisticated and brands are increasingly seeking tangible benefits from their social presence in China.

“While there are obvious differences between social media in China and the West, We Are Social’s focus on human insight and creativity, not platforms, translates in any market. We’ll bring this approach to the Chinese market, and with it, we’re confident we’ll attract forward-thinking brands and the best talent to service them.”

Robin Grant, global managing director, We Are Social said: “China is an extremely important market for our global clients, but just as importantly, is increasingly leading the way in social media innovation. It was clear we needed to establish a presence here.